Councils and
hospitals are
working together to monitor the situation to see the effect of
the fuel shortage crisis.

Help line
numbers have been given out. The message so far is that services
are operating almost as normal, but the situation is being
monitored.

A joint
statement said this afternoon:

“The
organisations are working closely together and monitoring the
situation extremely closely to minimise the impact on
essential services.

“Staff in
all organisations are being encouraged to use alternative
means of transport wherever possible to maintain essential
frontline services. The ambulance services and hospital will
be assisting staff to work with transport difficulties.”

Hospitals are
operating as normal and are urging people to keep to
appointments. The concerns are over getting staff and supplies
to hospitals and surgeries.

They request
people to ‘use the NHS responsibility’ and only call out GPs
when absolutely necessary.

Council staff
have been told to restrict business trips to essential calls
only, but otherwise services are operating as normal in most
cases.